Childcare Workers
Childcare Workers (SOC 39-9011) earn a median $34,980 a year ($16.82 an hour) in the United States, with 518,910 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What childcare workers do
Childcare workers care for children in schools, businesses, private homes, and childcare institutions. Their tasks include dressing, feeding, bathing, changing diapers, and supervising play. Keeping the play space safe is a core duty, along with watching children's play and sanitizing toys and equipment. They support children's emotional and social growth by encouraging them to understand others and feel good about themselves, and they talk with parents or guardians about the day's activities, behavior, and related matters. They keep a file on each child, noting daily observations and information about activities, meals, and medications given. O*NET also describes care in group homes, nursery schools, private businesses, and schools for people with disabilities. Preschool teachers (25-2011) and teaching assistants (25-9042) are excluded. Baby sitter and after school counselor are two of the alternate titles.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual education level (about 39 percent).
Also called: After School Coordinator, After School Counselor, Attendant, Baby Attendant, Baby Sitter.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $11.66 | $14.12 | $16.82 | $18.55 | $22.12 | $16.84 | 518,910 |
| Annual | $24,260 | $29,360 | $34,980 | $38,570 | $46,010 | $35,030 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where childcare workers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $18.77 | $19.38 | $22.76 | $26.94 | $27.30 | $23.25 | 1,350 | 1.92 | 0.58 |
| Annual | $39,050 | $40,300 | $47,340 | $56,040 | $56,790 | $48,360 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $16.99 | $18.01 | $20.04 | $21.52 | $24.08 | $20.39 | 4,340 | 1.22 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $35,340 | $37,460 | $41,680 | $44,770 | $50,080 | $42,400 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $16.41 | $17.95 | $19.66 | $23.04 | $23.94 | $20.47 | 13,140 | 3.61 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $34,130 | $37,330 | $40,900 | $47,920 | $49,790 | $42,580 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $16.07 | $17.78 | $19.59 | $22.24 | $23.65 | $20.39 | 13,310 | 4.63 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $33,430 | $36,990 | $40,750 | $46,260 | $49,190 | $42,410 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $16.99 | $18.08 | $19.24 | $22.27 | $25.32 | $20.57 | 52,780 | 2.90 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $35,340 | $37,600 | $40,020 | $46,320 | $52,670 | $42,790 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $16.99 | $18.08 | $19.24 | $22.27 | $25.32 | $20.57 | 52,780 | 2.90 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $35,340 | $37,600 | $40,020 | $46,320 | $52,670 | $42,790 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.17 | $17.03 | $18.07 | $21.02 | $22.58 | $19.08 | 44,020 | 4.54 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $33,630 | $35,420 | $37,590 | $43,730 | $46,970 | $39,690 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $10.46 | $11.23 | $13.73 | $15.35 | $17.93 | $13.96 | 34,160 | 2.43 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $21,750 | $23,370 | $28,570 | $31,920 | $37,290 | $29,050 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $15.49 | $16.43 | $17.49 | $18.46 | $21.54 | $18.10 | 25,070 | 5.85 | 1.75 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $34,170 | $36,390 | $38,400 | $44,800 | $37,640 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.63 | $17.23 | $18.26 | $21.62 | $17.58 | 23,900 | 3.92 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $32,510 | $35,830 | $37,980 | $44,980 | $36,560 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | Hourly | $15.05 | $17.40 | $22.74 | $33.10 | $38.15 | $25.33 | 1,530 | 4.49 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $31,300 | $36,200 | $47,300 | $68,850 | $79,360 | $52,680 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $18.17 | $20.07 | $21.98 | $26.40 | $30.13 | $23.30 | 3,090 | 2.72 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $37,780 | $41,750 | $45,720 | $54,900 | $62,670 | $48,450 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $18.24 | $18.98 | $21.41 | $23.62 | $27.60 | $22.17 | 8,260 | 3.48 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $37,930 | $39,480 | $44,540 | $49,130 | $57,410 | $46,100 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $17.24 | $18.94 | $21.31 | $22.41 | $23.70 | $21.04 | 7,870 | 4.89 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $35,860 | $39,400 | $44,320 | $46,610 | $49,300 | $43,760 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $17.35 | $18.87 | $21.02 | $21.86 | $25.87 | $21.34 | 2,520 | 1.21 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $36,080 | $39,260 | $43,710 | $45,460 | $53,810 | $44,390 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.52 | $17.27 | $18.21 | $21.02 | $22.58 | $19.24 | 48,780 | 5.14 | 1.54 |
| Annual | $34,360 | $35,930 | $37,870 | $43,720 | $46,970 | $40,010 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.00 | $16.24 | $17.60 | $18.37 | $22.09 | $17.89 | 17,540 | 3.89 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $33,770 | $36,610 | $38,220 | $45,940 | $37,220 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.82 | $18.16 | $19.18 | $22.01 | $23.26 | $20.16 | 16,530 | 2.64 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $34,980 | $37,770 | $39,890 | $45,780 | $48,390 | $41,930 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $11.48 | $12.00 | $13.87 | $15.40 | $17.80 | $14.29 | 13,220 | 4.58 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $23,870 | $24,960 | $28,840 | $32,020 | $37,030 | $29,710 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $15.46 | $17.09 | $18.08 | $21.44 | $24.14 | $19.31 | 11,650 | 3.72 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $32,160 | $35,550 | $37,610 | $44,600 | $50,220 | $40,170 | ||||
Top industries employing childcare workers
Child Care Services employ 52.0% of childcare workers nationally (269,970 jobs) at a median $34,170 a year ($16.43 an hour), followed by Elementary and Secondary Schools (21.8%) and Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (5.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Care Services NAICS 624400 | 269,970 | 52.0% | $34,170 | $16.43 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 112,960 | 21.8% | $37,020 | $17.80 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries NAICS 713900 | 29,820 | 5.7% | $29,100 | $13.99 |
| Civic and Social Organizations NAICS 813400 | 24,380 | 4.7% | $32,220 | $15.49 |
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 18,270 | 3.5% | $36,990 | $17.78 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (518,910). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $27,490 for childcare workers in May 2021 and $34,980 in May 2025, with employment of 438,520 and 518,910.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $27,490 | $13.22 | 438,520 |
| May 2022 | $28,520 | $13.71 | 459,460 |
| May 2023 | $30,370 | $14.60 | 497,450 |
| May 2024 | $32,050 | $15.41 | 520,180 |
| May 2025 | $34,980 | $16.82 | 518,910 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $22.76 | $47,340 | $39,050 | $56,790 | 1,350 | 1.92 | 0.58 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $20.04 | $41,680 | $35,340 | $50,080 | 4,340 | 1.22 | 0.37 |
| 3 | Massachusetts profile | $19.66 | $40,900 | $34,130 | $49,790 | 13,140 | 3.61 | 1.08 |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $19.59 | $40,750 | $33,430 | $49,190 | 13,310 | 4.63 | 1.39 |
| 5 | California profile | $19.24 | $40,020 | $35,340 | $52,670 | 52,780 | 2.90 | 0.87 |
| 6 | Oregon profile | $18.58 | $38,650 | $32,580 | $46,450 | 5,240 | 2.66 | 0.80 |
| 7 | Vermont profile | $18.29 | $38,030 | $32,140 | $46,030 | ** | ** | ** |
| 8 | New York profile | $18.07 | $37,590 | $33,630 | $46,970 | 44,020 | 4.54 | 1.36 |
| 9 | New Hampshire profile | $17.83 | $37,080 | $27,850 | $44,500 | 2,820 | 4.13 | 1.24 |
| 10 | Hawaii profile | $17.80 | $37,030 | $30,850 | $47,270 | 1,870 | 2.98 | 0.89 |
| 11 | Rhode Island profile | $17.76 | $36,940 | $31,410 | $45,140 | 1,800 | 3.59 | 1.08 |
| 12 | Connecticut profile | $17.63 | $36,660 | $34,940 | $44,760 | 12,020 | 7.09 | 2.12 |
| 13 | New Jersey profile | $17.49 | $36,390 | $32,220 | $44,800 | 25,070 | 5.85 | 1.75 |
| 14 | Maine profile | $17.47 | $36,350 | $31,200 | $46,020 | 4,990 | 7.79 | 2.33 |
| 15 | Alaska profile | $17.40 | $36,200 | $30,640 | $46,640 | 1,340 | 4.13 | 1.24 |
| 16 | Maryland profile | $17.32 | $36,030 | $31,570 | $47,280 | 9,750 | 3.53 | 1.06 |
| 17 | New Mexico profile | $17.23 | $35,840 | $29,880 | $42,190 | 4,120 | 4.73 | 1.42 |
| 18 | Illinois profile | $17.23 | $35,830 | $31,200 | $44,980 | 23,900 | 3.92 | 1.17 |
| 19 | Minnesota profile | $17.08 | $35,520 | $28,560 | $44,880 | 11,570 | 3.92 | 1.17 |
| 20 | Montana profile | $16.89 | $35,120 | $27,770 | $38,750 | 2,190 | 4.29 | 1.29 |
| 21 | Arizona profile | $16.88 | $35,100 | $30,830 | $45,660 | 5,530 | 1.71 | 0.51 |
| 22 | Virginia profile | $16.51 | $34,330 | $28,150 | $44,100 | 13,930 | 3.39 | 1.02 |
| 23 | Florida profile | $16.45 | $34,210 | $27,960 | $44,730 | 21,760 | 2.19 | 0.66 |
| 24 | Delaware profile | $15.97 | $33,210 | $31,200 | $40,410 | 1,230 | 2.54 | 0.76 |
| 25 | Wisconsin profile | $15.61 | $32,460 | $24,650 | $42,830 | 5,560 | 1.89 | 0.57 |
| 26 | Utah profile | $15.21 | $31,630 | $23,040 | $43,440 | 4,830 | 2.78 | 0.83 |
| 27 | Michigan profile | $14.89 | $30,970 | $27,210 | $39,340 | 14,010 | 3.18 | 0.95 |
| 28 | Missouri profile | $14.80 | $30,790 | $28,600 | $41,600 | 12,430 | 4.24 | 1.27 |
| 29 | Nebraska profile | $14.78 | $30,740 | $28,130 | $36,660 | 9,390 | 9.17 | 2.75 |
| 30 | North Dakota profile | $14.56 | $30,290 | $23,310 | $37,070 | 4,030 | 9.37 | 2.81 |
| 31 | Indiana profile | $14.51 | $30,180 | $23,880 | $38,250 | 8,280 | 2.59 | 0.78 |
| 32 | Idaho profile | $14.50 | $30,160 | $17,550 | $42,150 | 4,430 | 5.17 | 1.55 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania profile | $14.49 | $30,140 | $22,710 | $39,290 | 13,000 | 2.14 | 0.64 |
| 34 | Nevada profile | $14.30 | $29,740 | $27,520 | $38,560 | 3,740 | 2.41 | 0.72 |
| 35 | Ohio profile | $14.27 | $29,680 | $23,800 | $40,390 | 11,300 | 2.04 | 0.61 |
| 36 | Tennessee profile | $14.26 | $29,660 | $21,730 | $38,050 | 13,650 | 4.16 | 1.25 |
| 37 | South Carolina profile | $14.26 | $29,650 | $22,020 | $37,720 | 10,660 | 4.62 | 1.39 |
| 38 | Kansas profile | $14.06 | $29,240 | $22,810 | $37,280 | 7,430 | 5.17 | 1.55 |
| 39 | North Carolina profile | $14.01 | $29,140 | $22,840 | $40,990 | 12,550 | 2.54 | 0.76 |
| 40 | Kentucky profile | $13.90 | $28,920 | $21,860 | $39,550 | 5,820 | 2.91 | 0.87 |
| 41 | Texas profile | $13.73 | $28,570 | $21,750 | $37,290 | 34,160 | 2.43 | 0.73 |
| 42 | Arkansas profile | $13.68 | $28,450 | $23,940 | $33,640 | 5,400 | 4.14 | 1.24 |
| 43 | Iowa profile | $13.66 | $28,420 | $21,950 | $37,220 | 6,020 | 3.86 | 1.16 |
| 44 | Wyoming profile | $13.58 | $28,250 | $21,960 | $50,040 | 1,110 | 3.96 | 1.19 |
| 45 | Georgia profile | $13.47 | $28,020 | $22,170 | $36,980 | 21,040 | 4.30 | 1.29 |
| 46 | South Dakota profile | $13.43 | $27,940 | $26,500 | $37,840 | 2,370 | 5.19 | 1.56 |
| 47 | Oklahoma profile | $13.33 | $27,730 | $22,040 | $38,580 | 7,590 | 4.45 | 1.33 |
| 48 | West Virginia profile | $13.32 | $27,710 | $22,170 | $35,890 | 1,930 | 2.76 | 0.83 |
| 49 | Louisiana profile | $11.01 | $22,900 | $18,650 | $33,610 | 8,000 | 4.14 | 1.24 |
| 50 | Alabama profile | $10.92 | $22,720 | $18,680 | $32,330 | 4,580 | 2.17 | 0.65 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $10.60 | $22,050 | $18,230 | $33,600 | 5,420 | 4.66 | 1.40 |
Part of Personal Care and Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 39-9011 Childcare Workers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 39-9011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 39-9011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.